Fresh US military aid to Taiwan strongly decried

China voiced serious concerns on Wednesday following the United States' decision to extend military aid to Taiwan, urging Washington to cease arming the island and destabilizing the Taiwan Strait.

According to reports, the Donald Trump administration has released $5.3 billion in previously frozen foreign aid, including $870 million in security-related exemptions for programs in Taiwan.

At a daily news briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the US military assistance to the Taiwan region seriously violates the one-China principle and the three Sino-US joint communiques while gravely infringing on China's sovereignty and security interests.

"This move also sends a severely erroneous signal to 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces, something that China has always firmly opposed," Lin said.

Beijing has repeatedly emphasized that the Taiwan question lies at the center of China's core interests and represents the first red line that must not be crossed in China-US relations.

Lin reaffirmed that China will closely monitor the situation and firmly safeguard its national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.

Also on Wednesday, Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, sent a stern warning to Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities, saying that paying "protection money" will not secure "Taiwan independence", and serving as a "pawn" will ultimately lead to its abandonment.

Her remarks came amid reports that DPP authorities are considering purchasing $7 billion to $10 billion worth of arms from the US — hoping to win support from the new administration.

Zhu criticized the DPP's longstanding practice of spending money to curry favor with Washington, saying they squander hundreds of billions to pledge allegiance to the US, turning Taiwan into a "powder keg".

"The ones who profit are US arms dealers, while the ones who suffer are the people of Taiwan. Ultimately, the greatest victim is Taiwan's peace and stability," she said.

She also dismissed the DPP's plan to increase defense spending to 3 percent of Taiwan's GDP this year, which will not protect Taiwan but exacerbate tensions and instability.

"'Taiwan independence' is as incompatible with peace across the Taiwan Strait as fire is with water," she said.

"Taiwan is China's Taiwan. The 1.4 billion Chinese people and the People's Liberation Army will never tolerate any attempt by any individual or force to split the island from China."

zhaojia@chinadaily.com.cn